Color correction gauge



2 SHEETS- SHEET 1 May 20, 1952 G. MATruccl coLoR CORRECTION GAUGE Filed July 8, 195o G. MATTUCCI COLOR CORRECTION GAVUGE May 2o, 1952 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed July 8, 1950 :y @MM/ Mada INVENToR -Ga/o o /1/4 rracc/ ATTOA/[X Patented May 20, 1952 CITED STATES PATENT QFFICE COLOR CORRECTION GAUGE Guido Mattucci, New York, N. Y.

Application July 8, 1950, Serial No. 172,771

The present invention relates to a color gauge which may be employed as a comparative guide in retouching photographic plates or lms in connection with color printing operations and especially in connection with photoengraving processes.

In three color printing processes, blue, red and yellow, color separation negatives are made by the medium of color filters. In four color processes a black or brown separation negative is also made. These negatives, which are black and white, or grey, are retouched, black and white positives are made therefrom, which are further retouched or corrected if necessary and are used for making the corresponding printing plates.

One object of the present invention is to provide a color gauge, which is adapted to compose colors of any selective variety, value and intensity and which can be operated to translate the composed colors into corresponding grey representations, to serve as a comparative guide for retouching either the positives or negatives for use in color printing processes.

Various other objects of the invention are apparent from the following particular description and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a front face view of the color gauge embodying the present invention;

Figs. 2, 3 and 4 are sections of the color gauge taken on lines 2-2, 3--3 and 4-4 of Fig. 1 respectively;

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the color gauge shown with the rear cover panel of its housing removed;

Figs. 6 and 7 are sections of the color gauge taken on lines 6 6 andV 'I-'I respectively of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a face view of the yellow color slide constituting part of the gauge;

Fig. 9 is a face view of `the red color slide constituting part of the gauge;

Fig. 10 is a face viewof the blue color slide constituting part of the gauge; and

Fig. 11 is a face view of the combined grey and brown color slide constituting part of the gauge.

Referring to the drawings, the color gauge of the present invention comprises'a frame orl housing I including a front panel II, side walls I2 and I3, a bottom wall I4, a top wall I5 and a rear removable panel I6. The front panel I I, side walls I2 and I3 and bottom wall I4 constitute one unit by forming them into an integral construction or by'securing them together, while the rear panel IB andthe top wall I may con- 3 Claims. (Cl. 3528.3)

stitute a separate removable unit. The side walls I2 and I3 have keying notches I1 and the top wall I5 has end tongues (not shown) Vof corresponding shape for retention in said notches.

I Screws (not shown) threaded into holes I9 in the side walls I2 and I3 serve to removably mount the rear panel I6 inV position.

The front panel II has a window opening and four parallel guide slots 2l, 22, 23 and 24 on one side thereof serving for the purpose to be described, and the rear panel I6 has an opening behind the window opening of corresponding size and shape to permit light to pass through said opening 25 and through a transparent colored film or lms to be described displayed through said window opening. Index means in the form of a number scale 21 under the heading P increasing in denominations progressively upwardly and representing color gradations for the original image and also for the positive color separation lms or plates is located between the slots 22 and 23, and a similar number scale 26 under the heading N increasing in denomination in the reverse direction and representing gradations or the negative color separation films or plates is located along one side of the slot 24.

Inside the housing I0 are four slides 30, 3|, 32 and 33. The slide 30 (Fig. 8) comprises a frame 34 of open rectangular shape and desirably of metal. Attached to one side of the frame 34 is a film 35 of suitably thin transparent or light pervious material colored to correspond to one of the separation colors. In the specic form shown, this film 35 is yellow in color and the intensity of its shading increases gradually downwardly, so that the lighter yellow is at the top.

The slide 3I (Fig. 9) comprises a frame 36 of open rectangular shape and desirably of metal, smaller in Width than the slide frame 34, but of substantially the same height. Attached to this frame 36 is a lm 31 of suitable thin transparent or light pervious material colored, as for Yexample red, to correspond to another of the separation colors. The color intensity or shading of the film 31 increases gradually downwardly, so that the lighter red is at the top.

The slide 32 (Fig. 10) comprises a frame 40, shown in the form of a solid rectangular metal sheet, smaller in width than the slide frame 36, but of substantially the same height. Attached to the side of this frame 40 is a lm 4I of suitable thin transparent or light pervious material colored to correspond to the third separation color, as for example blue. The color 3 intensity or shading of the lm 4| increases gradually downwardly, so that the lighter blue is at the top.

Slide 33 (Fig. 11) comprises a frame 43 shown in the form of a solid rectangular metal sheet, smaller in width than the slide fra-me 40, but substantially of the same height. Attached to the side of this frame 43 is a nlm of suitable thin light pervious material having a brown area 44 and a grey area 45, both increasing gradually in color intensity or shading, so that the lighter shades are at the top. The two areas 44 and 45 may be formed on the same film or may be made separately and secured together edge to edge.

The films 35, 31, 4I, 44 and 45 are mounted in the housing I in registry one behind the other in line with the window 20, so as to come to view' through said window when said films are raised in a manner to be described.

For locating the four slides 3|), 3|, 32 and 33 in proper position in the housing I0 and for guiding them in their sliding movement, there are provided three guides 50, 5| and 52 in the form of parallel sheets extending substantially along the full length of the front panel I I and spaced from each other and from the panels II and I8 to dene f our guide spaces 53, 5,4, 55` and 55. lThe guidesSS), 5I and 52V are secured along one side to bar rails 5 1, 5 8 and 59 respectively, which in turn are affixed to the inner face of the front panel II and are of progressively varying Width but with their edges on the other side in registry and spaced from` the side housing wall I3, to dene between the two panels II and I6 a space 68, in which the lms 35, 37, 4|, 44 and `45` may slide behind the window 2 8.

The widest slide 33 is guided in the space 53 between the guiden 5 0 and the rear panel I5 and has the outer edge of its frame 34 slidably engaging the side housing wall I2 and the outer edge of its yellow color lm 35 extending with a free sliding nt in a guide groove Si in the side housing wall I3.

The nextA slide 3|L has its frame 36 slidably retained in theguide space 54 between the guides 50 and 5|, with the outer edge of saidframe slidably engaging the rail 5'I and the outer edge of its red film 3.1 extending with a free slide t in a guide groove 62 in the side'housing wall I3.

The slide 32.hasI its frame 40 slidably retainedv in the guide space 55 between the guides 5I and 524 with the. outer edge of said frame slidably engaging the rail` 53 and the outer edge of its blue iilm 4I4 extending with a free slide t in a guide groove 63.in the sidehousing wall I3.

The fourth slide 33 has its frame -43 slidably retained in the guide space 56Vbetween the guide 52v and the front `panel I I with the outer edge of said frame slidablyv engaging the rail 59 and the outer edge of its film 45. extending with a free slide t in a guide groove 54 in the side housing wall I3.

In lowerxnost position of the slides v3|), 3|., 32 and 33 shown, thetops of these slides extend substantially level with the bottomedges of the panel openings 20 and. 25 and out of View. These slides may be raised, tobring any one of the lms 35,

3], 4I, 44 and 45 intoview behind the window opening 20, To permit manipulation of these slides into selective position described, there are provided iinger buttons 10, 1I, '12. and 'I3 having their. shanks extendingV through the guide slots. 2-I, 22, 23 and 24 respectively and secured to the.

slide frames 34, 3B, 40 .and.43 respectively through 4 respective screws '|5. The buttons 10. 'II and 'I2 may be colored yellow, red and blue respectively to correspond to the colors of the lms 35, 3'I and 4I associated therewith and the button lI3 may be colored black or brown to correspond to the color of the film 44 or 45 associated therewith.

To releasably hold the slide 30 in any selected slide position, the back panel I6 has secured thereto a ilat strip 'I8 having a series of holes 80 located along the guide slot 2| and spacedaccording to the spacings of the graduations on the scales 26 and 2'I. A recess 8| in the frame 34 of the slide 30 has a spring 82 in the form of a wire or leaf retained therein at one end by a screw 83 and having a latch conformation 84 at its other end adapte'dfto snap into any one of the holes v8|) when it comes opposite said hole and to be cammed out of' said hole and thereby released therefrom when the slide 30 is forcibly moved through manipulation of its button 'I0 along the guide slot 2 I. The holes 8|) are located to engage the latch conformation on the spring 821, when the button 'I0 comes opposite a graduationon the scale 26 or 2l.

A Slat or bar 85, secured to the slide frame 54 and lling the space between said frame and the front panel II serves to maintain the spring" 82 yieldably pressed, against the slide holding stl-in '13.

To releesably hold theother Slides 3i. 32 end. 33 in any selected slide. position, eabh of the guides; 50, l5I and 52 is provided with a, row of holes 8'I located alone the. Corresponding, guide Slots 22., 23 and, 24, and arranged withrespeet to theared.- uations on the scales 25 and 2l, as in the case ofA the holes on the slide holding strip T8. Each of the slide. framesY 36,v 4.0.and 43 is providedwith a spring deviceI similar to thatdescribed in c onnection with the slide frame 34 to eiect releasable latch engagement of said frames with the holes 8'I.

I'he slide frames 3.I ,an d 32 havesecuredthereto slats or bars 88. and; l8r!!A respectively tofilL the spaces between said frames and the front panel II and to maintainthe spring associated with these frames yieldably pressed against theguides 50 and 5I, while the slide 433;do,es notneed; such a slat because of the4 proximity of its associated guide 52 to the frontpanel- I I..

The junction between, the brown andv grey film areas -44 and 45 is. in line substantially with the, vertical center line of the window opening 2 0, a nd the combined width of. these areas is at least coextensive with thewidthofsaid opening. The window openingA 2|), hasa shutter 19|)l about half the width ofv saidopening `and slidable toA exposeV either half of said opening and to expose thereby either the. brown. area. 44 or. theV grey.- eree. 45 therethrough. Theotherv films 35, 31'and4,|;ex tend at least the full width of thefwindDW. Opening 20 and, therefore, overlap both thehrowh. and. the grey areas. and 45.

Registering holesZ-in the three guidesy 50, 5|.v and 52 serve; as a, means by which. these guides may -be alignedinpropen relative positionl and,y as a means by which the screws for mounting the. finger buttons- '|I 'I2 and I3 may. be inserted in position or takenout,

The shading of thevarious lmsvaries, from thatV oorresoondineto a Solid eoloraithe, bottom. designated on, the positivei scaleA 27|,- to a represent the shade of the negative corresponding to the respective shades of the positive. Hence the negative scale 25 is numbered inversely as the positive scale 21.

The calibration of the scales and the shading of the films i-s such that when one of the films 35, 31, 4l or 44 is moved by manipulation of the corresponding finger button to reveal any selected shade through the window opening 20, the setting 0f this button on the scale 21 will correspond to the setting which must be applied to the button 13 controlling the grey film 45, to reveal through the window opening 29 the correct shade of grey which the color separation positive should have for making a printing plate which will accurately reproduce the designated color. The button 13 may be set to the corresponding number on the scale 26 to show in the opening 20 the corresponding shade of the separation negative. The corresponding photographic color separation positive or negative is then retouched, if necessary, to agree with or match the grey shade thus exposed through the window opening 20.

In order to analyze a color for three or four color printing, the different buttons 10, 1|, 12 and 13 may be set along their respective guide slots until the required color composition is produced and displayed through the window opening 20. The setting of these buttons 10, 1|, 12 and 13 on the scale 21 is then noted and the buttons returned to their lowermost position. The button 13 is then moved along the guide slot 24 into the different indicated positions on the scale 26 to disclose the ycorrect corresponding shades of grey for the respective color separation negatives. The negatives are then retouched if necessary, positives are made therefrom and the positives are checked against the shades of grey shown by setting the button 13 at the designated number on the scale 21. The positive may then be retouched if necessary and when made to match the indicated shade of gray will be suited for the making of the corresponding printing plate.

Obviously the device may be used to analyze colors for various purposes. A specific use has been set forth for purposes of illustration only.

What is claimed is:

1. A color gauge for use as a retouching guide in connection with color printing, comprising a housing having front and back panels and side walls, registering window openings in said front and back panels adjacent one of said side wall-s, said front panel having a plurality of vertical slots therein and progressively spaced between said window openings and the second of said side walls, a fixed guide member carried by said front panel between each pair of said slots and forming therebetween a series of progressively displaced parallel channels a flat rigid guide member carried by each of said first guide members, said nat guide members being successively spa-ced between said front and back panels to form a series of spaced parallel channels and terminating in advance of said window openings, a set of rigid supportsmounted to slide in said first channels, actuating members carried by said supports and extending through the respective vertical slots for independent actuation of each support, said supports including rigid slides slidable in said parallel channels between said dat rigid guide members, and a transparent lm carried by each slide for sliding movement into display position between said front and back window openings, said lms being mutually spaced in overlapping position by said rigid slides said films being of diierent colors and each nlm varying in shade from top to bottom, said films being slidable with said Isupports to bring selected color areas thereof into overlapping registration with said window openings whereby a selected color can be composed by relative adjustment of the various supports, all of said films having identical shade values and variations from top to bottom whereby shade values can be Vdetermined and transposed from one color to another by making identical adjustments of the respective films.

2. A color gauge, as set forth in lclaim 1, in which one of said films carries parallel areas having shades of grey and brown respectively and both disposed to be visible through said windo-W openings.

3. A color gauge, as set forth in claim 2, in which said iront panel carries a shield adjustably mounted to lexpose either the grey area or the brown area only of said film through said window opening.

GUIDO MATTUCCI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

